Dongzhimen东直门

东直门全景。
Full view of Dongzhimen Gate. See map below.

Dongzhimen was built on the site of a Yuan Dynasty gate called Chongrenmen, 崇仁门, which was on the eastern wall of the Yuan capital. Emperor Yongle included the gate in his design for the Ming capital. It was modified and repaired and in 1419 it was renamed. When the defenses of the Forbidden City were strengthened and expanded in 1436, under the reign of Emperor Zhengtong, the gate was further protected by the addition of a defensive wall topped by an arrow tower. During both the Ming and Qing dynasties wood brought to the city for construction was stored in yards in the neighborhood surrounding this gate.